I have an 88 firebird, and i'm probably going to buy rims before it goes on the road. I was thinking about the 17x8 torqthrust II, but I wanted to know if the rear rims have an offset and the fronts don't. I never bought aftermarket wheels, and I want to make sure it's done right.
I might be buying c5 wheels supposably they are 17x9, and 18x10 in the rear, but I think he's wrong about the width on the rears. These are the rims.
eBay Motors: 82 - 92 CAMARO Z28 17" 18" Corvette C5 rims wheels rs (item 8067089904 end time May-24-06 08:46:30 PDT)

 

The C5 wheels are actually 17x8.5 and 18x9.5

If you're planning to buy the TT2's from a dealer, they'll know what offset (if any) you'll need.

 

thanks, I might be buying the ttII's, if I get outbid, but hopefully I get these.

 

Well i'm going with the ttIIs, i'm still confused. Do I need to get seperate offsets for the front and rear. They offer a 17x8, with a +7.62mm, and -11.43mm offset. Do I have to get the positive offset for the fronts, and negative for the rears. Thanks

 

The stock 15” rims are supposed to be a ½” offset inward front and rear. The few that I’ve measured are actually closer to 3/8”…

The reason the factory 16” rims had a 0 offset on the front and 16mm in the back (not really, measuring them the rear ones are all over the place, my stock 87 formula rims are actually 23mm offset in the rear) is that with a rim more then 7” wide in the front you need less offset to clear the tie rod, where if you used that same 0 offset rim on the back they stick out (well, with a narrow tire they are about as far out without sticking out as they can go, with wider tires they stick out)

With 17” front rims as long as the lip is fairly thin you might have enough diameter that the tie rod will tuck inside the lip of the rim and might be able to go with stock offsets front and rear again.

My $.02: go as close to 0 offset in the front on a 17x8 as you can get, and go as close to about ½” offset on the rear as you can get. With the way American sizes their rims that means that you’ll either have to order from their custom shop or live with front rims that stick out a little or that need some spacers…

 

Thanks for the info. I'm going to hold off for now, and worry about it when the car is on the road. I might go with bigger rims, because the next motor I build will be a monster, and I will need traction.